A Very, Very, Very Fin House
“As you can see, the view is lovely. Though you can’t see the ocean from here, it is a spectacular sight when you wake up in the morning to see the swaying palm trees and a wide expanse of blue sky.”
Veronica, the manager of the apartment complex where Rome lived, was a woman in her mid-forties who spoke like someone who’d been showing real estate properties for at least a few decades.
“It’s a lovely space,” Ella agreed, checking out the size of the master bedroom again. It came furnished, and the bed in the room was king sized--plenty of room for her, and maybe one more…. “And you say it’s a six month lease?”
“Yes, and you get two parking spots.”
Ella smiled politely, even though she hadn’t even arranged to get her car from Teresa yet. She hadn’t wanted to bother Tim with the car and the apartment all at once, not when he was a bundle of nerves waiting to hear about the movie he’d auditioned for a few days earlier.
He looked distracted and maybe a little bored as he turned on water taps and opened drawers. “What do you think, Tim?” she asked him, strolling into the kitchen. It was also a big room, and she could see herself cooking here. Though it had been a while since she’d been in the kitchen, she’d always enjoyed whipping up her late-grandmother’s recipes with her mother and then her aunt. Grandma Francesca had been quite the expert in the kitchen.
“I think it’s nice,” Tim said with a shrug. “Are you sure you don’t want to look at a place closer to mine, though? I hate to think of you all the way over here by yourself.”
“It’s only ten miles, Tim. That’s less than twenty minutes when traffic is normal, just a bit longer when it’s heavy. Besides, I’m sure I’ll make friends soon.” She hadn’t told him that she already had a friend who lived a few doors down. He had no idea this was where Rome lived. If he did, he never would’ve considered letting her look at the apartment.
He blew out a hot breath. “If you like it, the price isn’t bad for what you’re getting. Sure, why not?”
Ella couldn’t control herself. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands before squealing and launching herself at Tim who caught her and laughed. “I’m getting my own place!”
“Yeah,” he said, only half as happy as she was. “Sign on the dotted line, and then we’ve gotta take you shopping. You’ll need towels, dishes, pots and pans, all that good stuff.”
Exhaustion rolled over her just thinking about it, but she knew it had to be done. Unless she just went out and bought a laptop and did everything else online. But that might mean she had no sheets at bedtime tonight. “All right, let’s do it.”
Veronica happily handed over the paperwork, and Ella signed everything. She transferred funds to Tim so he could write a check for the deposit and first month’s rent, and then Veronica shook her hand and presented her with the keys. “It’s good to have you here, Ms. Sinders. I’m sure you’ll be very happy.”
Ella shook her hand. Thoughts of visiting Rome any time she wanted to made her smile broaden. “I’m sure I will be, too.”
Once the woman was gone, Ella spun around her living room, jumping up and down. “I’m free! I’m free!”
“From me?” Tim joked. “Gee, I didn’t know I was that bad.”
Giggling, Ella said, “No, from my evil step-monster, silly. Shoot, I’ve gotta get some groceries, too.”
“Me, too. I’ve gotta get some more Coca-Cola. Someone keeps drinking mine.” He winked at her, and she gave him a playful punch in the arm.
“You won’t have to worry about that anymore!”
“True. I’m gonna miss having you around, though. It was nice seeing you every day.”
“You’ll still see lots of me,” she promised. “Now, where do we go to get stuff for my house?”
“Rodeo Drive, baby,” Tim said with a big grin.
“I thought they just sold clothes.”
Shaking his head, Tim put his arm around her. “Oh, Ella. Sweet Ella. You have so much to learn.” He led her out to his car, and Ella hopped in, thinking that was true, but at least she could learn it in her own apartment and no longer had to worry about anyone telling her what she could or could not do.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
